The detergent of  her clothes

In a deep breath, it all came back.

Frozen tears on cheeks still striped

remembering her scent in the ice

the way her eyes crinkled at the edges

and a beat of her lashes drew a rainbow

somewhere. There was always one piece of hair

that never fit, the way her gloves were sometimes

mismatched when she went in the cold

She didn’t need to say anything

But when she showed me how strong

her heart was and how weak

her smile was. I fell with her.

I finally think I understand

that I’m not allowed

to love her. I shouldn't

Hold her icy hands

in the snow. I am a girl

and with that comes a title

we are not ready for.

When the fighting came

her voice suddenly

matched her strength.

Maybe first loves aren’t meant to last.

Maybe everyone in love

grows apart

eventually.

But it was love.

Hated, rescued, titled

Love.

Maybe that won’t mean much

in ten years

but it meant something then

left us wishing we could freeze.